Index for ledgers, &amp;c.



No. 675,909. Patented lune ll, IBM. 6. C. SHEPHERD.

INDEX FUR LEDGERS, 81.0.

(Application filed may 18, 1899.)

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No. 675,909. Patentad lune ll, l90l. G. C. SHEPHERD.

INDEX FOB LEDGEBS, 6w.

(Application am m 19, 1599.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT C. SHEPHERD, 0F BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

INDEX FOR LEDGERS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 67 5,909, dated June 1 1, 1901.

A lination filed May 13, 1899. Serial No. 716,727. iNo model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT C. SHEPHERD, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Index for Ledgers and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in alphabetical indexes in which the names to be indexed can be subdivided beyond the first letter of the name to permit the ready finding of the indexed names, and in carrying out my invention I provide an index comprisinga pair of sheets, a plurality of leaves interposed between said sheets and divided into sections, means for separating the desired section of leaves, and symbols carried by said sheets and leaves to indicate the first letter of a name and the subdivision of the other letters of the name as embraced in the leaves of the sections.

The invention also consists in the novel details of improvement and the combination of parts, that will be more fully hereinafterset forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of so much of my improved index as is contained between two main sheets, and Fig. 2 is a face View of the same spread out flat.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the views.

1 2 indicate sheets of an index-book, of which there may be any desired numbersay one pair for each letter of the alphabet-and between each pair of these sheets are located a plurality of leaves 3, upon which the names to be indexed are to be placed, the front edges of sheets 1 2 projecting beyond the corresponding edges of the leaves 3. These sheets and leaves may be secured in a book or holding-frame in any suitable manner. I have shown them as provided on their back edges with apertured tongues 3, adapted to receive pins, wires, cords, or the like for securing them together, or they may be bound in the Well-known manner of forming a book, the manner of connecting the sheets and leaves together forming no part of my present invention.

The sheets 1 2 are provided with lettered tabs 4: 5, which are what may be termed the primary indexing-letters, and these letters preferably face each other, as shown, so as to indicate the first letter of names produced on the inclosed sheets 3.

The leaves 3 between each two sheets 1 2 are divided into sections 6 7 8 9 10, there being any desired number of such sections and any suitable number of leaves in each section, and between each two adjacent sections are interposed leaves (5, which carry tabs 7 8 9 10, tha'; project forwardly from the edge of the leaves, each of the leaves 6 being of full length and not stepped. By taking hold of one of these tabs all the leaves in front of it can be readily thrown back, leaving exposed the section to which that tab applies.

Upon the back sheet of each pair of sheets 1 2 may be a projecting strip 2, upon which suitable letters of the alphabet are produced that aline with the tabs '7 8 9 10, whereby the section to be reached can be determined and the corresponding tab can be taken hold of and drawn over to remove the sections that lie in front of the section desired.

The front edges of the leaves 3 of each section are partially cut away, leaving projections or tabs 3 in stepped arrangement, upon which are produced appropriate letters of the alphabet, each of the tabs 3 alining with the letters on the range 2", to be described, so that when a tab 7 8, &c., has been drawn over to expose the section desired the leaf carrying the indexed name can be readily found by means of the letters on these tabs 3". By means of these sections of leaves and the indexed leaves of the sections the alphabetical subdivision of indexed names can be made in accordance with a determined rule. It is not essential that the stepped tabs 3 be provided with letters.

On the projecting edge 2" of the back sheet 2 of each pair of sheets 1 2 are produced letters of the alphabet that aline with appropriate leaves in the different sections, so that by finding a letter of the series 2 and then by turning back the leaves of a section in alinement therewith the desired leaf can be readily found.

It will be understood that the leaves be tween the two sheets 1 2 constitute a division of the indexed book in which all names commencing with a certain predetermined letter of the alphabetare to be placed and that by means of the sections of leaves (3 7 8 9 10 a further subdivision can be made.

By means of my improvement there are two convenient ways in which the indexing can be accomplished. One, which I call single indexing, can be accomplished by taking the first and last letters of a name and using the tabs 4 5 for finding the first letter and the letters of the series 2 for finding the last letter of the name. For instance, if the name to be indexed is Brown the party will turn to the sections embraced within the letter B on tabs at 5, representing the first letter of the name, and will then turn to the letter N of the series 2*, representing the last letter of the name, and will turn back the leaves 3 to expose one whose stepped tab is alined with such letter N, the entries being made in each section until filled in succession or according to any other predetermined system, at the discretion of the bookkeeper. Another manner of indexing in accordance with my invention will be to determine the first letter of the name by tabs 4 5, as before stated, and then for a further subdivision of the name find an intermediate letter, such as a second letter on the series of letters at 2, then grasp the appropriate tab 7 8, &c., and turn back the sections of leaves in front of it, and then by means of the letters on the series of projections 3 further subdivide the remaining letters of the name in accordance with the leaves corresponding to the series of letters 3. It will be evident, however, that any other desired manner of utilizing the sections and leaves for indexing can be carried out. Each pair of sheets 1 2, with the inclosed leaves 3, constitute an independent indexing medium for each or any desired number of letters of the alphabet, and there may be any suitable n umber of these divisions in a book, and when the same is properly indexed the search for an indexed letter will be materially simplified.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction shown and described, as they may be varied without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an index for ledgers, the combination of the series of ledger-sheets having stepped tabs, the leader-sheet extending out beyond the other sheets and having an outwardlyextending tab bearing the numerical or alphabetical division of the ledger-sections, the leader-sheet having spaces alining with the tabs, the said spaces having numerals or letters thereon, substantially as described.

2. An index comprising a plurality of sec tions, the leaves of each section being provided with stepped tabs, sheets interposed between adjacent sections, and provided each with a projecting tab, and a leader-sheet having index-symbols alining with the said stepped tabs and also having index-symbols alining with the tabs on the sectioning-sheets, substantially as described.

3. An index comprising a plurality of sections such as 6, each of the sections being provided with a series of stepped tabs, a sheet 6 interposed between the sections and provided with a projecting tab, the leader-sheet 2 having index symbols alining with the stepped tabs, and a projection 2 on the leadersheet having index-symbols alining with the tabs on sheets 6*, substantially as described.

Signed in the city, county, and State of New York this 11th day of May, 1899.

GILBERT O. SHEPHERD.

\Vitnesses:

JOSEPH L. LEVY, CHARLES G. HENSLEY. 

